On top of it all, I sensed someone behind me also trying to leave the store, and, of course, felt compelled to politely hold the door. Add this extra layer to my exit and it was most definitely a task tricky enough as to require extreme athleticism from my balloon burdened body.
I held the door and then I heard her voice.
“God bless you, my dear.”
The tiniest little elderly lady holding three of her own heart- shaped balloons came lightly out of the Dollar Tree door with me. For a quick minute she and I and all our balloons almost became tangled up together like one big Valentine’s Day disaster.
But it wasn’t the intertwined balloons which drew me in, it was her voice. And her words.
“Oh my, what a day! Love is in the air!”
I nodded in agreement. “Yes, it is.” I lamely offered, hoping to get on quickly to my car.
“But love is always in the air,” she continued, “because God is love!”
Again, another exuberant response from me: “Yes," I smiled, He is." All the while trying to remove myself from the store, and, if I’m honest, from further conversation with this seemingly nice lady.
But she persisted. “Do you know Him? Do you know the love of Jesus?”
I stood there, my balloons dancing uproariously in the late winter breeze, and I finally looked into her face fully. It was pure sweetness. Nothing was off at all. There were no wild eyes or crazy hair or strange countenance one might notice in a persistent stranger conversation. No street corner, sign holding screamer anywhere to be found. She was the embodiment of joy and peace. That sounds awfully cliche, I know. But it is true. That was exactly what I thought staring at this little wisp of a woman in her cute cheetah print coat and red and white Valentine’s Day scarf with hands holding three pink balloons.
I stopped and smiled. “Yes, I know Him. I know His love.”
Her face grew even brighter. “I’m so glad! It’s why I tell everyone I meet about His love. It is everything. I can’t not tell others. I absolutely can not.”
By this time we had managed to make our way toward the parking lot. She came closer to my car, “I want the world to know of God’s love. It has changed my life. And I am so sad for those who don’t know it.”
There was an earnestness about her. Again, nothing off or strange, but a beautiful intensity in what she was saying. I was ashamed of my obvious desire to not engage with her. It was a busy day. I was running late. I was trying to get to my mom’s assisted living to drop off some balloons and cookies for her care team and my day had already gone a bit sideways. I had no time to stop and talk to a stranger about anything. Not even Jesus, apparently.
But when I finally called out these cross thoughts running in my head, I was immediately embarrassed for myself. “Seriously, Jody. You are in such a rush to go show love, you can’t stop and talk a minute about Jesus’ love? Shame on you.”
The little lady was oblivious to my internal dialogue and didn’t miss a beat. “I’m afraid for all the people in this world who don’t know Him. This world is so sad, so broken, so lost. There is much pain. Everywhere I look I see it.”
There were tears in her eyes as she continued sharing, “I have a brother who is sick. He has been in the hospital since January. He doesn’t know Jesus. I wish I could change that.”
We stood facing each other. Our balloons still billowing. Our eyes locked on one another. And I nodded, “I understand. I too worry about people I love.”
“My brother’s name is Ashok,” she offered.
“I will pray for Ashok.”
“Bless you, my dear.”
And we hugged. With all of our balloons. With all of our love for Jesus. With all of our sadness for this world.
And then she was gone. This lady—tiny in stature, but tremendous in her love for Jesus and the telling of it to others.
I got into my car and realized I had never asked her name. I wish I had. I usually do. But I have her brother’s name. And, what’s more, I have a moment impressed deeply on me to be bolder, stronger, and more earnest in my telling and talking of Jesus.
Because as she said, “How can I not?”
Her exuberance was inspiring. How can we know the love of Jesus and not feel compelled to share it with others? If this petite woman could be so bold, how can the rest of us walk around mindlessly with our errands and our tasks and our busyness and forget easily about the most important message we have for this weary world? "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." Matthew 28:19. Go therefore and tell others of His love whether we are at the Dollar Store or the grocery store or the gas station. Talk about God's love. Show God's love.
Why is the news so good and yet the task of telling often so hard?
This Valentine’s Day moment with Ashok’s sister and my sister in Christ was a gift so much more beautiful than any chocolate or flowers or heart-shaped balloon.
It was the gift of God's love.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11
"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware." Hebrews 13:1-2
